Re: Mark's first SFG

markqz 11/9/2023, 6:34 pm

donnainzone5 wrote:I think the powdery mildew indicates impending mortality.

Except they've been like that since summer. I remove dead limbs. Spray with milk. It's pretty much endemic here with our constant high humidity and overnight dew.

The weather is turning cold at night, so this might be the end though.

OhioGardener 11/9/2023, 6:42 pm

markqz wrote:
donnainzone5 wrote:I think the powdery mildew indicates impending mortality.
Except they've been like that since summer. I remove dead limbs. Spray with milk. It's pretty much endemic here with our constant high humidity and overnight dew.

I make a powdery mildew spray that has been very effective, that you might try some time: One tsp of Castile soap, and one tsp of baking soda in 2 qts of water. Spray the mixture on both sides of the leaves in either the early morning or late evening when pollinators are not present.

markqz 11/10/2023, 12:40 pm

OhioGardener wrote:I make a powdery mildew spray that has been very effective, that you might try some time: One tsp of Castile soap, and one tsp of baking soda in 2 qts of water. Spray the mixture on both sides of the leaves in either the early morning or late evening when pollinators are not present.

Those are very tiny amounts of ingredients. If this works, it might make me a believer in homeopathy! My sprayer is 32oz, so I halved the ingredients.

Since I have 5 zucchinis taking up space, I can afford to run a test on one of them. Here it is, all freshly sprayed:

Mark's first SFG - Page 12 KuVZNuu

markqz 11/17/2023, 10:32 pm

These may be the "fake" lady bugs, but I understand they all eat insect pests.

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**sanderson** 11/18/2023, 2:02 am

How did the baking soda and castile soap work?

Have you inspected the ladies up close?

markqz 11/18/2023, 2:17 pm

The green zucchini in the "what you have you picked" thread is from this zucchini, treated with OG's suggested forumula.

Mark's first SFG - Page 12 Cregicj

Not too bad. But the other zucchini that are just (occasionally) treated with milk aren't doing too bad either. It's a golden zucchini so maybe not a fair comparison:

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The milk got washed off by free water falling out of the sky overnight.

Free water!! I hope donuts are next!

**Scorpio Rising** 11/19/2023, 12:13 am

Free water!!!! That’s funny—rain is best, to be honest. You will have to re-apply. Up the ratio if it doesn’t seem like enough. I use a 1:1 mixture of (powdered) milk to water…

**sanderson** 11/20/2023, 2:01 pm

markqz wrote:The milk got washed off by free water falling out of the sky overnight.

Free water!! I hope donuts are next!

Seriously, as expensive as California water is, rain is precious.

markqz 11/23/2023, 6:57 pm

Deep in the zucchini underbrush ...

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This close-up makes them look huge, but they're not.

**sanderson** 11/26/2023, 10:56 pm

Those are beautiful.

markqz 11/30/2023, 10:55 pm

The smallest of my 5 zucchini plants hasn't provided a fruit since summer ... I think. Finally, here's one today:

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The pencil is provided for comparison. As you can see, both the pencil and the zucchini are, in fact, yellow.

markqz 12/2/2023, 5:43 pm

Continuing the baking soda / castile soap test. The plant is doing well, but that may be because of the cooler nights reducing insect activity.

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OhioGardener 12/2/2023, 6:04 pm

Looking good, Mark! The high alkalinity (pH 8.5 to 9) of baking soda quickly stops or kills the powdery mildew.

**sanderson** 12/3/2023, 7:33 pm

markqz wrote:

The pencil is provided for comparison. As you can see, both the pencil and the zucchini are, in fact, yellow.

markqz 12/8/2023, 3:05 pm

So, yes, I do need to get my eyes fixed. I overlooked this 2.4 lb fruit, probably for weeks. But I wasn't really expecting anything this big. A green fruit under green leaves while wearing sunglasses (me, not the zucchini) ... who knew?

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The zucchini is leaning against a knee pad so it's more comfortable.

OhioGardener 12/8/2023, 3:13 pm

markqz wrote:So, yes, I do need to get my eyes fixed. I overlooked this 2.4 lb fruit, probably for weeks. But I wasn't really expecting anything this big. A green fruit under green leaves while wearing sunglasses (me, not the zucchini) ... who knew?

The day before you couldn't have seen it, because it was only a few inches long then....

markqz 12/10/2023, 3:02 pm

So you see my dilemma. I need squares to plant my long-suffering purple cauliflower starters, but the squares are taken by zucchini, which are still promising more fruit to come:

Mark's first SFG - Page 12 XBfCrmz

OhioGardener 12/10/2023, 3:24 pm

markqz wrote:So you see my dilemma. I need squares to plant my long-suffering purple cauliflower starters, but the squares are taken by zucchini, which are still promising more fruit to come:

I had the same problem a couple months ago, but the first heavy frost took care of it of me... Sad

**sanderson** 12/13/2023, 3:09 am

Oh, to have your dilemma . . . The squash look so healthy.

markqz 12/15/2023, 11:02 pm

The kale is doing better than it did all summer. Fewer bugs, among other things.

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markqz 12/21/2023, 2:52 pm

Zucchini on the shortest day of the year. This is in fact from the zucchini that I have been doing the spray test with. If I wasn't spraying the leaves, I would have missed the fruit entirely. The bugs had attacked the end, but I trimmed that off and the rest seems fine.

Mark's first SFG - Page 12 Evx8Hwj

**Scorpio Rising** 12/21/2023, 11:18 pm

Worlds tiniest violin playing in the background…Sorry about your dilemma, Mark! lol! But honestly, I get that! I had the same issue with my cold frame being taken over/up by my squash which kept going! Now my cold frame is idle until spring.

markqz 12/22/2023, 12:27 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Worlds tiniest violin playing in the background…Sorry about your dilemma, Mark!

Yeah, fishing for sympathy here is like taking a fishing pole to the municipal pool. Gosh, what a ruckus that was.

People might be thinking, "SoCal is always like that." No, this is not usual. It's not only been warmer, it's been brighter than other years. Zucchini are usually dead by October. The downside of warmth is that the insects never quite go away. And even though it's warm, the days are short so not much growth occurs. And without rain you need to keep watering. And there's no break. I'm reminded of Pippi Longstocking, who decided she wanted to go to school so she could have vacations.

OhioGardener 12/22/2023, 12:39 pm

markqz wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:Worlds tiniest violin playing in the background…Sorry about your dilemma, Mark!
Yeah, fishing for sympathy here is like taking a fishing pole to the municipal pool. Gosh, what a ruckus that was.

One day an ice fisherman drilled a hole in the ice and peered into the hole and a loud voice from above said, “There are no fish down there.” He walked several yards away and drilled another hole and peered into the hole and again the voice said, “There’s no fish down there.” He then walked about 50 yards away and drilled another hole and again the voice said, “There’s no fish down there.” He looked up into the sky and asked, “God, is that you?” “No, you idiot,” the voice said, “it’s the rink manager.”

**Scorpio Rising** 12/22/2023, 5:58 pm

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Mark's first SFG